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WO1999005311A1 - Dosages d'homocysteine a specificite elevee, destines aux echantillons biologiques - Google Patents

Dosages d'homocysteine a specificite elevee, destines aux echantillons biologiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999005311A1
WO1999005311A1 PCT/US1998/015430 US9815430W WO9905311A1 WO 1999005311 A1 WO1999005311 A1 WO 1999005311A1 US 9815430 W US9815430 W US 9815430W WO 9905311 A1 WO9905311 A1 WO 9905311A1
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Prior art keywords
homocysteine
homocysteinase
seq
cysteine
enzyme
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PCT/US1998/015430
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English (en)
Inventor
Yuying Tan
Martin Lenz
Andrew W. Perry
Robert M. Hoffman
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Anticancer, Inc.
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Priority claimed from US08/974,609 external-priority patent/US6140102A/en
Application filed by Anticancer, Inc. filed Critical Anticancer, Inc.
Priority to EP98935998A priority Critical patent/EP1000170B1/fr
Priority to CA2296734A priority patent/CA2296734C/fr
Priority to JP51014699A priority patent/JP3337693B2/ja
Priority to AU85127/98A priority patent/AU758729B2/en
Priority to DE69841433T priority patent/DE69841433D1/de
Publication of WO1999005311A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999005311A1/fr
Priority to HK00107283.1A priority patent/HK1028263A1/xx

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N9/00—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes
    • C12N9/0004—Oxidoreductases (1.)
    • C12N9/0051—Oxidoreductases (1.) acting on a sulfur group of donors (1.8)
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N9/00—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes
    • C12N9/10—Transferases (2.)
    • C12N9/13—Transferases (2.) transferring sulfur containing groups (2.8)
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12Q—MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
    • C12Q1/00—Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
    • C12Q1/527—Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions involving lyase
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
    • G01N33/50—Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
    • G01N33/68—Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving proteins, peptides or amino acids
    • G01N33/6803—General methods of protein analysis not limited to specific proteins or families of proteins
    • G01N33/6806—Determination of free amino acids
    • G01N33/6812—Assays for specific amino acids
    • G01N33/6815—Assays for specific amino acids containing sulfur, e.g. cysteine, cystine, methionine, homocysteine
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2333/00—Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature
    • G01N2333/90—Enzymes; Proenzymes
    • G01N2333/902—Oxidoreductases (1.)
    • G01N2333/90212—Oxidoreductases (1.) acting on a sulfur group of donors (1.8)
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2333/00—Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature
    • G01N2333/90—Enzymes; Proenzymes
    • G01N2333/91—Transferases (2.)
    • G01N2333/91194—Transferases (2.) transferring sulfur containing groups (2.8)

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the assay of homocysteine in biological fluids such as urine, whole blood, and blood plasma. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of enzyme preparations that comprise one or more homocysteinase enzymes and diagnostic kits containing these enzymes. In the preferred practice of the invention, homocysteine concentration is determined by measurement of hydrogen sulfide produced therefrom.
  • K-W. Thong et al. (Experimental Parasitology, 63, pp. 143-151, 1987) describe enzymatic conversion of homocysteine to alpha-ketobutyrate, hydogen sulfide and ammonia followed by determination of the hydrogen sulfide with lead acetate (see also K-W. Thong et al., IRCS Medical Science, 13, pp. 493-494, and pp. 495-496, 1985)
  • the involved enzyme for example, from the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis
  • the disclosed procedure does not distinguish homocysteine from cysteine, nor does it account for that fraction of homocysteine molecules in biological samples that is disulfide bonded, or bonded to protein.
  • Such analytical procedures would also provide great benefit by predicting a patient's susceptibility to cardiovascular disease before onset can be detected by other procedures. In this regard, great benefit would be achieved by adapting such procedures to the widespread screening of the general population, and in particular, to all infants.
  • the present invention provides for such methods, including diagnostic kits for use in the clinical setting.
  • the present invention provides for novel methods to determine the concentration of homocysteine in biological fluids.
  • the biological fluid is a urine, tissue fluid, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma sample from a patient, and the methods of the invention are useful to assess risk for cardiovascular disease.
  • the present invention provides novel methods to determine homocysteine concentrations in biological fluids while avoiding detection of related but interferring substances, most particularly cysteine and methionine.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing, for example, homocysteine and cysteine that comprises contacting said sample with an enzyme preparation capable of producing hydrogen sulfide from homocysteine and cysteine, and determining the amount of homocysteine in said sample by measuring the amount of hydrogen sulfide produced from homocysteine.
  • the enzyme preparation consists only of a single enzyme whose reactivity toward homocysteine is sufficient, compared to cysteine, that hydrogen sulfide produced from cysteine may be ignored.
  • Said enzyme preparation comprises an enzyme referred to as a homocysteinase, and which may be referred to by other names as described below. Additionally, the term “enzyme preparation” should also be understood to include, unless otherwise noted, both a single and a plurality of aliquots, that is, either a single amount or multiple amounts of one or more enzymes may be added during the course of an assay procedure, and the use of the term is without limitation has to how, or how many, aliquots or steps are used to add all of the necessary enzymes during a reaction procedure.
  • the total concentration of homocysteine present in biological samples includes homocysteine molecules that are not present in free form, being instead covalently coupled to other molecules.
  • the methods of the invention provide further steps for releasing this homocysteine prior to measuring of homocysteine-derived hydrogen sulfide.
  • (c) calculate the amount of homocysteine from the amount of hydrogen sulfide attributed thereto, wherein said sample is, or optionally is not, divided into a first part and a second part in order to conduct said assays.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine comprising the steps of:
  • the diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample, and wherein the homocysteinase included therewith is obtained from one of several sources.
  • the diagnostic kit comprises:
  • a chimeric nucleotide sequence (whether of DNA or RNA), derived from more than one gene, or other polynucleotide, that codes for a homocysteinase, wherein expression of such sequence leads to the production of a chimeric homocysteinase.
  • homocysteinases have valuable properties with respect to the practice of the invention, and a preferred example thereof includes a chimeric enzyme that comprises amino acid sequences derived from both Trichomonas vaginalis and Pseudomonas putida homocysteinases.
  • the present invention provides two basic approaches in the design of clinical assays for homocysteine: (1) to enhance detection of homocysteine in biological samples using novel assay techniques to detect homocysteinase reaction products, and (2) to further enhance the sensitivity of such assays by designing homocysteinase enyzmes that have substantially enhanced reactivity toward homocysteine, in comparison with other sulfur- containing amino acids.
  • homocysteinase enzyme is sufficiently non-reactive toward cysteine or methionine that the concentration of homocysteine that is present, for example, in a sample of tissue fluid, urine, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma of a subject may be determined in a single step assay, wherein is measured the amount of one or more products resulting from reaction of said homocysteinease on homocysteine in said sample, and wherein said measurement is substantially unaffected by the concentration of cysteine or methionine therein.
  • such a homocysteinase is patterned on a homocysteinase from Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Aeromonas or Trichomonas, and in an example thereof, one or more peptide sequences of such an enzyme are correspondingly replaced by one or more homologous peptide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 10, for example, those selected from the group consisting of:
  • such a homocysteinase is a substitution variant, addition variant, deletion variant, or derivative of SEQ ID NO: 10, wherein said variant or derivative has one or both of the following properties:
  • Additional aspects of the invention therefore include: (1) a purified and isolated DNA molecule that comprises a nucleotide sequence coding for a homocysteinase having such specificity, and wherein said coding sequence is operably linked to control sequences capable of directing expression therefrom in a host cell; and (2) appropriately transfected host cells.
  • An additional preferred embodiment of the invention is a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine, which method comprises measuring the concentration of a product that is produced from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, which product may also be produced by reaction of said homocysteinase upon cysteine in said sample, and wherein said sample contains an otherwise interfering concentration of cysteine, said method comprising the steps of:
  • step (b) incubating the mixture resultant from step (a) with homocysteinase
  • kits for use in a single enzyme assay of the homocysteine concentration in a biological fluid of a subject comprising:
  • a diagnostic kit wherein the homocysteinease included therein has the property that at least about 90% of the hydrogen sulfide produced by action of said homocysteinase upon contacting a biological sample in an assay for homocysteine is contributed by said homocysteine when, for example, the concentrations of homocysteine and cysteine in said fluid are, respectively, about 20 ⁇ molar and about 300 ⁇ molar respectively.
  • the included homocysteinase has the property that at least about 99% of the hydrogen sulfide produced by action of said homocysteinase upon contacting said biological fluid is contributed from homocysteine.
  • Such diagnostic kits can be used, for example, to accurately determine the homocysteine concentration in biological fluids in the range of about 1-500 ⁇ molar, or higher as necessary, wherein said fluids also contains from 0 to about 1000 ⁇ molar of cysteine, in a typical example.
  • kits as with other assay procedures of the invention, it is generally preferred to include use of a disulfide reducing agent, such as dithiothreitol ("DTT"), so that homocysteine molecules in biological samples that are disulfide-bonded to other molecules (such as free cysteine, other homocysteine molecules or protein SH groups) can also be detected.
  • a disulfide reducing agent such as dithiothreitol (“DTT")
  • DTT dithiothreitol
  • Figure 1 panels A and B provides a comparison of the amino acid sequence of Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase encoded by the mgll gene with that encoded by the Trichomonas vaginalis pAC2-l clone.
  • Figure 2 shows the comparative specific activities (units/mg crude E. coli extract) corresponding to homocysteinase of the pAC2-l clone for cysteine, methionine, and homocysteine.
  • Figure 3 shows the comparative specific activities of homocysteinase (pAC2-l clone, purified using a DEAE-Fast Flow procedure) for cysteine, methionine, and homocysteine.
  • Figure 4 shows the comparative specific activities of homocysteinase (pAC2-l clone, purified using a nickel cation affinity reagent) for cysteine, methionine, and homocysteine.
  • Figure 5 shows determined ⁇ cat values of homocysteinase (pAC2-l clone) for cysteine, methionine, and homocysteine.
  • Elevated blood plasma homocysteine levels are recognized as a risk factor for vascular disease.
  • the atherogenic properties of homocysteine were first noted in association with a rare group of genetic diseases referred to collectively as homocystinuria.
  • the disease state is characterized by a level of circulating homocysteine that is typically 10-fold (or greater) above that in normal blood. Under these circumstances, homocysteine is also detected in the urine.
  • Premature vascular disease is strongly correlated with this condition. For example, if homocystinuria is left untreated, about 50% of patients suffer thromboembolic events, and mortality by the age of 30 is approximately 20% (see, for example, S.H. Mudd et al., American Journal of Human Genetics , 37, pp. 1-31, 1985).
  • homocysteine (1) the chemical and biochemical properties of homocysteine are intimately related to those of other sulfhydryl-containing biomolecules, including the amino acids methionine and cysteine, and thus improved assay procedures for homocysteine must be uniquely responsive to homocysteine.
  • homocysteine is highly reactive and exists under physiological conditions in many forms besides the free homocysteine molecule, for example, as a disulfide-linked dimer, as a disulfide-linked heterodimer with free cysteine, as a disulfide-linked conjugate with cysteine residues of blood plasma proteins, and bonded (often as an N-Acyl derivative) to the R groups of other protein amino acids (for example, to the epsilon amino group of protein lysine).
  • These conjugated forms contribute very substantially to the total amount of homocysteine that may participate in pathological processes. Given also that only minor increases, beyond the normal range, in plasma homocysteine concentrations lead to satistically significant disease risk (see, O.
  • the present invention is thus directed to the development of homocysteine assay procedures, and the selection of reagents therefor, that overcome the above complexities under conditions where large scale screening of patient samples is practicable.
  • homocysteine concentrations in biological samples are determined enzymatically with enzymes hereinafter referrred to as "homocysteinases", which are defined as enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions whereby hydrogen sulfide is produced from homocysteine.
  • homocysteinases enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions whereby hydrogen sulfide is produced from homocysteine.
  • ammonia and alpha- ketobutyrate are also produced.
  • it is preferred to detect product hydrogen sulfide although product ammonia and/or alpha-ketobutyrate or other products may also be detected.
  • Homocysteinases may catalzye other reactions involving other sulfhydryl compounds and have acquired multiple names in the literature; however, they are generally useful in the practice of the present invention if they possess the property of catalyzing production of hydrogen sulfide from homocysteine.
  • a first homocysteinase that is preferred in the practice of the invention is L- methionine-alpha-deamino-gamma-mercaptomethane lyase (methionine lyase) derived from the bacterial source, Pseudomonas putida. The enzyme has been purified by S.
  • Tan et al. describes construction of a clone designated p AC 1-1 containg a single copy of enzyme-encoding sequence.
  • An additional clone, designated pACl-11 has been constructed which contains two copies of the encoding sequence, in tandem.
  • the pT7-7 plasmid was used to construct pACl-11.
  • the two encoding sequences are linked together at a BamHI site, with the first gene linked Ndel to BamHI, and the second linked BamHI to a further BamHI site.
  • the substrate specificity of the P. putida enzyme has also been determined.
  • N. Esaki et al. Methods in Enzymology, 143, pp. 459-465 (1987) report that on a relative activity scale where activity toward methionine is assigned 100, cysteine is 10, and homocysteine is 180. That the enzyme is reactive to all three sulfhydryl-containing amino acids underscores the need to define clinical assays for which the source of hydrogen sulfide can be properly determined.
  • the apparent 10- fold preference of the enzyme for homocysteine over cysteine does not take into account that the concentration of cysteine in a biological sample may be high ⁇ in fact much higher than the concentration of homocysteine.
  • Homocysteinase enzymes of suitable catalytic activity can be derived from other Pseudomonas species, or from other bacteria, using routine screening procedures and assays that are recognized in the art.
  • An additional group of organisms that are a source of homocysteinase useful in the practice of the invention are species of the Trichomonad parasites and related protozoans. Trichomonads are important parasites of the urogenital tract and are aero tolerant (but nonetheless anaerobic) flagellate protozoa. Use of homocysteinase from Trichomonas vaginalis is preferred according to the practice of the invention.
  • Trichomonas species are believed to use their capabilities for thiol metabolism in order to counter oxygen toxicity in host tissues, see K-W Thong et al., Experimental Parasitology, 63, pp.143-151 (1987), and papers cited therein. Although considerable variation in homocysteinase activity (termed homocysteine desulphurase activity therein) was found between Trichomonas species, it is routine to screen available species for acceptable levels of enzyme activity.
  • a homocysteinase should have a specific activity of at least about 1 unit/mg purified protein for use in the below- described assays, although it is well within the skill of those familiar with the relevant art to design variations on these assays that use greater or lesser amounts of enzyme or enzyme preparations with differing enzyme activity. It is noted that highly purified and active P. putida enzyme has a specific activity of about 20 units/mg (a unit of enzyme activity may be described as 1 micromole of substrate converted per minute under standard conditions (see Y. Tan et al. above).
  • T. vaginalis enzyme Use of a recombinant version of the T. vaginalis enzyme is also preferred.
  • One potential cloning strategy follows the observations by A. Marcos et al., FEMS Microbiology Letters, 135, pp. 259-264 (1996), that T. vaginalis genes may have few introns. Accordingly, a genomic library would be constructed (see D. E. Riley et al. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 51, pp. 161-164, 1992) and screened with DNA fragments corresponding to the Psuedomonas putida enzyme, and which are expected to reflect some partially conserved sequence.
  • Lockwood et al. also list other reports of bacteria having methionine-gamma-lyase activity involving species of Pseudomonas, Clostridium, and Aeromonas.
  • homocysteinase activity useful in the practice of the present invention.
  • Additional organisms that are expected to provide useful homocysteinase enzymes are certain marine algae (see, for example, D.A. Gage et al. Nature, 387, pp. 891-897, (1997) describing species with extensive methionine-related metabolism); sulfur bacteria; and geomicrobes or other microbes living under extreme environmental conditions (see, for example, R.A. Kerr, Science, 276, pp.703-704, 1997 and E. Pennist, Science, 276, pp.705-706, 1997).
  • microorganisms that may be useful sources for homocysteinase-type enzymes include bacteria involved in periodontal disease, such as are capable of forming volatile sulfur compounds from cysteine.
  • bacteria involved in periodontal disease such as are capable of forming volatile sulfur compounds from cysteine.
  • S. Persson et al Oral Microbiology and Immunology, 5(4), pp. 195-201, 1990.
  • homocysteinases that are useful in the practice of the invention, it should not be viewed as a limitation herein that hydrogen sulfide necessarily be a product of such enzymes.
  • the present invention provides for high through-put diagnostic procedures, permitting the cost effective analysis of a very large number of homocysteine-containing samples while avoiding detection of interfering substances.
  • a chimeric nucleotide sequence (whether of DNA or RNA), derived from more than one gene (or other polynucleotide such as a cDNA or other intron-less sequence), that codes for a chimeric homocysteinase enzyme.
  • homocysteinases have properties that are very useful with respect to the practice of the invention, and a preferred example thereof includes a chimeric enzyme that comprises amino acid sequences corresponding to both Trichomonas vaginalis and Pseudomonas putida homocysteinases.
  • vaginalis enzyme evidence a very pronounced "preference" for homocysteine as substrate (see also the K,,, data reported on page 678 thereof). This is in contrast to the data reported by N. Esaki et al. above with respect to the P. putida enzyme.
  • the properties of homocysteinease for use in the clinical diagnostic applications of the present invention can be improved by providing the enzyme as a chimeric molecule that draws upon functional features contributed to the chimeric protein from both of its component species.
  • T. vaginalis homocysteinase actually represents two protein species derived from two genes is of note (see J.C. Mottram, direct submission of sequences to Gene Bank, submitted July 17, 1997, as T. vaginalis mgll gene, accession number AJ000486, NID g2330884, and T. vaginalis mgl2 gene, accession number AJ000487, NID g2330886), the complete sequences of which are fully incorporated by reference herein, as if directly set forth. See also International Patent application WO 98/07872 published February 26, 1998, and A. McKie et al., Journal of Biological Chemisty, 278, pp.5549-5556, 1998.
  • the present invention therefore provides for a purified and isolated DNA molecule comprising a chimeric nucleotide sequence that encodes amino acid sequence of Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase, and amino acid sequence of Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase (derived from either mgll, or mgl2, or both) from which can be expressed a functional protein having homocysteinase activity.
  • the nucleotide construct (or corresponding amino acid construct) corresponds predominantly to that of putida, and thus there is provided a DNA molecule that comprises an encoding nucleotide sequence for Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase, wherein one or more subsequences thereof that encode one or more amino acids of said enzyme are correspondingly replaced by one or more nucleotide subsequences that encode the corresponding amino acids of a Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase.
  • the T corresponds predominantly to that of putida
  • a DNA molecule that comprises an encoding nucleotide sequence for Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase, wherein one or more subsequences thereof that encode one or more amino acids of said enzyme are correspondingly replaced by one or more nucleotide subsequences that encode the corresponding amino acids of a Trichomonas vaginalis homo
  • vaginalis enzyme encoded by the mgll gene is hereinafter referred to as the Tl protein, and that encoded by the mgl2 gene is referred to as the T2 protein.
  • Tl protein vaginalis enzyme encoded by the mgll gene
  • T2 protein vaginalis enzyme encoded by the mgl2 gene
  • the Tl and T2 proteins are encoded by remarkably similar DNA sequences. Accordingly, it is generally expected to be the case that substitution of an mgll -encoding subsequence into a P .putida backbone will have substantially the same effect, and generate improvements substantially similar to those resultant from an equivalent mgl2 subsequence substitution.
  • the Tl sequence shows substantial homology with the published P. putida sequence. Indeed, the published P. putida sequence shows considerable homology with the Tl sequence.
  • T. vaginalis enzyme there are identified regions of the encoding sequence for T. vaginalis enzyme where the T2 sequence and corresponding Tl sequence are very different from each other, and yet the Tl sequence is substantially similar to that of P .putida.
  • these encoding subregions of T2 present unique opportunities to insert into the a P. putida encoding polynucleotide, amino acid sequence domains that provide enhanced reactivity of the chimeric species toward homocysteine, thereby facilitating the diagnostic procedures of the invention.
  • the invention therefore provides for a DNA molecule that comprises an encoding sequence for Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase, wherein one or more subsequences thereof, that each encode one or more amino acids of said enzyme, are correspondingly replaced by one or more nucleotide subsequences than each encode the one or more corresponding amino acids of a Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase, and wherein said resultant amino acid replacements are selected from the group consisiting of:
  • T2 Trichomonas vaginalis mgl2
  • the above-listed T. vaginalis subsequences can be additionally modified to accept conservative amino acid substitutions. Additionally, the T. vaginalis subsequences need not correspondingly replace the above listed P. putida sequences so that, for example, the T. vaginalis subsequences may be inserted nearby (i.e. up to about 10 amino acid positions distant therefrom), while the targeted P. putida sequences remaining in place, in whole or in part.
  • the T ⁇ vaginalis inserts may comprise transfer of additional amino acids found on the N-termnal or C-terminal side of the above-depicted sequences thereof, as long as the benefit of increased reactivity toward homocysteine is not compromised owing to decreased enzyme stability.
  • the construction of appropriate chimeric encoding polynucleotides is straightforward for those familiar with the art, and may involve techniques of site directed or loop out mutagenesis, or use of PCR technology. Appropriate host cells for the expression of such encoding polynucleotides are described, for example, in Y. Tan et al., Protein Expression and Purification, 9, pp. 233-245, 1997.
  • novel homocysteinase enzymes that are essentially non-reactive toward cysteine, that is, any such reactivity is sufficiently low that the amount of homocysteine present in a sample of tissue fluid, urine, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma, or other biological fluids or samples from human subjects, may be determined in a single enzyme assay — absent the need to correct for the concentrations of cysteine and/or of methionine that are also present in the sample.
  • the activity of the novel Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase represented by SEQ ID NO: 10 is of particular note (see Example 8, and Figures 2 through 4, as discussed further below).
  • the relative activity of this enzyme toward homocysteine, compared to cysteine, will readily permit homocysteine measurements without the need to correct for any cysteine present in the biological test sample.
  • such novel enzymes are patterned on homocysteinases found in various microorganisms including Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Aeromonas or Trichomonas, and particularly preferred homocysteinases are derived from T. vaginalis, including that expressed from the mgll gene (SEQ ID NO:l 1), or the mgl2 gene thereof.
  • FIG. 1 panels A and B are depicted the amino acid sequences of two Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinases, the first derived from a novel clone (pAC2-l) of the present invention, and the second, the enzyme derived from the known mgll gene (see also SEQ ID NOS:10 and 12 for comparison of amino acids; SEQ ID NOS: 9 and 11 for comparison of encoding DNAs).
  • pAC2-l is characterized by the existence of three differences (mutations), compared to mgll : Phe to Leu at amino acid position 47, Asp to Glu at amino acid position 172, and Ser to Tyr at amino acid position 308.
  • a preferred example of the invention involves providing a homocysteinase to contain one or more peptide (sub)sequences of SEQ ID NO: 10 that are selected from the group consisting of:
  • SEQ ID NO: 10 a preferred homocysteinase of the invention, is expressed from a DNA sequence (pAC2-l, see SEQ ID NO:9) isolated as a gene from Trichomonas vaginalis genomic DNA.
  • pAC2-l may thus represent a new homocysteinase Trichomonas gene.
  • the homocysteinase is patterned on an enzyme from Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Aeromonas or Trichomonas wherein one or more peptide (sub)sequences of the original polypeptide sequence(s) thereof are correspondingly replaced by one or more homologous peptide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 10 that are selected from the group consisting of:
  • a generally preferred example includes a chimeric homocysteinase patterned on a first Trichomonas homocysteinase wherein one or more amino acids thereof, that correspond to the Leu 47 , Glu 172 , and Tyr 308 residues of a second Trichomonas homocysteinase (that from pAC2-l, as depicted in SEQ ID NO: 10), are correspondingly replaced by one or more of said Leu 47 , Glu 172 , and Tyr 308 .
  • An additional example of the invention is defined by a homocysteinase that is a substitution variant, addition variant, deletion variant, or other derivative of SEQ ID NO: 10, wherein said variant or derivative has one or both of the following properties: (a) at least about 10%, preferably about 25%, more preferably at least 50%> of the activity of SEQ ID NO: 10 toward homocysteine in a suitable assay (such as described in Example 8); and/or (b) no more than about 1000%, preferably less than 500%, more preferably less than 200%> of the activity of SEQ ID NO: 10 toward cysteine or methionine in a suitable assay (such as described in Example 8).
  • cysteine would generally be expected to be at low concentration in a urine sample, at least with respect to a non-diseased patient.
  • mutant homocysteinases from other organisms, as produced for example by appropriate recombinant methods, the above relative guidelines are expected to prove useful.
  • the enzyme represented by SEQ ID NO: 10 is a particularly useful example given that the apparent activity of this homocysteinase for homocysteine is at least about 100-fold greater than for cysteine and methionine.
  • the wild type T. vaginalis amino acid sequence (from mgll, see SEQ ID NOS: 11 and 12) is altered (generally of course by modification of an appropriate encoding DNA) as follows: one or more of Phe 47 , Asp 172 , and Ser 308 thereof is deleted, or is replaced according to the following formula:
  • nickel-NTA affinity purification procedures can be used to facilitate purification of homocysteinase from E. coli or other host cells transfected with an appropriate homocysteinase-encoding DNA sequence. These procedures take advantage of the selective binding of protein imidazole groups to nickel cations immobilized in the NTA resin matrix.
  • an amino terminal tag that contains, for example, 6 consecutive histidine residues is introduced into the homocysteinase, thereby facilitating its purification from host cell materials.
  • Homocysteinease SEQ ID NO: 10 is representative of modified homocysteinase enzymes that comprise one or more histidine residues positioned on the N- terminal side of the natural Met 1 of said proteins, said modified enzymes being sufficiently non reactive toward cysteine or methionine that the concentration of homocysteine that is present in a sample of tissue fluid, urine, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma of a subject may be determined by use of such enzymes in a single step assay. In such an assay, the amount of one or more products resulting from reaction of said modified homocysteinease on homocysteine are measured, and such measurements are substantially unaffected by the concentration of cysteine or methionine in the sample.
  • a homocysteinase that is useful in the practice of the invention comprises one or more, preferably 2-15, and most preferably 5-8 histidine residues consecutively positioned on the N-terminal side of the natural homocysteinase Met 1 .
  • the concentration of free homocysteine in a blood plasma sample is determined as follows. Blood samples (0.1 to 5.0 mL) are collected with a standard vacutainer using EDTA as anticoagulant, and plasma is then prepared by centrifugation.
  • a stock homocysteinase solution of 150 units/ml Trichomonas vaginalis enzyme is also prepared.
  • Stock solutions of enzyme generally range from 1-1000 units/ml, and preferably 100-200 units/ml, although the exact activity is subject to selection by the practitioner, depending on various factors, including the concentration of homocysteine in the samples.
  • P. putida enzyme As described above, use of P. putida enzyme is also preferred, at similar activity levels.
  • the plasma sample is divided into two equal volumes, Parts 1 and 2.
  • Part 1 a suitable amount of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase ("SAHH") and also a quantity of adenosine (SAHH is available from both eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources, and a procedure for cloning it in T. vaginalis has been presented, Bagnara et al. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 81, pp.1-11, 1996).
  • SAHH S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase
  • Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase is then added to the Part 1 and Part 2 samples and reacted for about 10-30 minutes.
  • a final concentration of homocysteinase in the range of 0.5-1 unit/mL is preferred, although the exact amount may be adjusted as needed. It is noted that the adenosine remaining in the Part 1 sample prevents the hydrolyase reaction from running in reverse, and so its initial concentration should be chosen with this in mind. The amount needed may depend on the SAHH selected, but a useful starting point is a concentration not less than that of the homocysteine present.
  • Hydrogen sulfide is then measured in both Part 1 and Part 2, and the amount of homocysteine present in the original sample is calculated by subtracting the hydrogen sulfide measurement of part 1 from that of part 2, and doubling the result.
  • the hydrogen sulfide measurement is performed by adding lead acetate to the samples in the range of about 0.1 to 1.0 Molar, thus precipitating the sulfide.
  • the precipitate is measured in a standard spectrophotometer at 360 run, or other suitable wavelength (such as in the visible range) at which the insoluble precipitate can be determined. This procedure is readily automated.
  • cystathionine ⁇ -synthase which catalyzes production in the body of cystathionine from homocysteine and serine.
  • the reaction may be driven in the direction of cystathionine by taking advantage of the relatively high concentration of serine in the blood.
  • Suitable sources of this enzyme include material isolated from Trichomonas, from Pseudomonas, or from mammalian tissues including, for example, liver. The enzyme may be used in an amount that provides a units/ml equivalent to the range described above for S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase.
  • the reaction may be driven, and then maintained, in the direction of cystathionine by adding exogenous serine to the reaction samples, or by irreversibly inhibiting the enzyme once conversion to cystathionine has been accomplished.
  • Suitable inhibitors include serine analogs of high affinity for the active site.
  • methionine tRNA synthetase is capable of accepting homocysteine as a reactant (see H. Jakubowsky et al., FEBS Letters, 317, pp. 237-246, 1993). Thus it may be possible to reproduce the above result using this enzyme.
  • S-adenosylhomocysteine produced according to Example 1 is subjected to the following manipulations: following its production it is isolated, and contacted with a further amount of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase under conditions where S- adenosylhomocysteine is converted back to homocysteine; after which the homocysteine so produced with said enzyme preparation is contacted with homocysteinase to produce hydrogen sulfide therefrom.
  • Example 3 Detection of Homocysteine by a Direct Enzymatic Subtraction in a Sample Containing Cysteine
  • Example 2 Following the initial procedures of Example 1, a blood plasma sample containing both homocysteine and cysteine is prepared. The sample is not divided into parts; instead, a sample of the enzyme cysteine tRNA synthetase is added under conditions that cysteine present is combined with tRNA.
  • the enzyme selected may be of eukaryotic or prokaryotic origin, and conditions for its reaction are well known in the art.
  • the cysteine-depleted sample is then reacted with homocysteinase as aforementioned, and the homocysteine concentration is determined directly from the hydrogen sulfide measurement.
  • Example 10 An additional example of the direct enzymatic subtraction method is provided below in Example 10, and is based on the enzyme ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase which may of eukaryotic or prokaryotic origin. Assay systems that incorporate use of this enzyme are described.
  • cysteine oxidase and cystathionine ⁇ -synthetase.
  • homocysteine exists in biological fluids bonded to other biomolecules, and homocysteine "stored” in such forms is believed to contribute to pathological processes.
  • this includes (1) homocysteine dimers, (2) homocysteine/cysteine heterodimers, (3) conjugates of homocysteine and protein wherein homocysteine is attached by way of disulfide bonds to protein cysteine, and also (4) conjugates of homocysteine and protein wherein homocysteine (including N-Acylated forms thereof) is bonded to protein amino acid R groups, most notably to the epsilon amino group of protein lysine.
  • reducing solutions are used to release the covalently bound homocysteine.
  • a stock sodium borohydride or sodium cyanoborohydride solution is prepared at about 0.1 M or less.
  • the reaction is carried out by adding the borohydride to the plasma sample (prepared following the intitial procedure of Example 1) at pH 6 to 8 for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.
  • the excess borohydride is destroyed, and the sample may then be subjected to the enzymatic procedures of Examples 1 or 3.
  • the borohydride may be neutralized with HC1 if the sample is further manipulated according to the following procedure.
  • 6 N HC1 can be used by dilution at about 50/50 with the protein sample. Following reflux at boiling temperature for 1 -2 hours under nitrogen, water is removed from the sample under vacuum to complete dryness. This liberates homocysteine if bonded to other amino acids, and also completes the homocysteine lactonization process. At the point of dryness, sodium acetate (1M) and acetic anhydride (10M) are added. This is refluxed for one further hour at boiling temperature to create acetylated homocysteine thiolactone.
  • this additional method takes advantage of the fact that pyruvate produced from cysteine by the action of homocysteinases may be detected independently of the hydrogen sulfide that is generated by the action of homocysteinases on both homocysteine and cysteine present in biological samples, such as blood plasma. Thus determination of homocysteine may be made by simple subtraction. According to this method, pyruvate can be determined enzymatically by any number of enzymes that generate a detectable product therefrom. Similarly, ⁇ -ketobutyrate (produced from homocysteine but not cysteine) can be determined in relation to hydrogen sulfide using leucine dehydrogenase.
  • the two principal processes of the method may be conducted simultaneously in a single sample, or they may be conducted separately in parallel samples, in either case with appropriate controls.
  • the enzyme used to detect pyruvate is a mammalian lactate dehydrogenase, and determinations of both pyruvate and total hydrogen sulfide are performed in a single cuvette, using a standard spectrophotometer.
  • a blood plasma sample containing both homocysteine and cysteine is prepared. The sample is not divided into parts, instead a sample of a homocysteinase (from Trichomonas vaginalis or P.
  • putida is added under conditions such that hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and ⁇ -keto butyrate are produced from homocysteine, and additionally, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and pyruvate are produced from cysteine.
  • a sample of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (at an amount of units/ml comparable to that used in previous examples) is also added under conditions such that it will react with the pyruvate produced from cysteine, which reaction is then monitored at or in the vicinity of 340 nm (for NADH), per well known procedures.
  • the total concentration of both homocysteine and cysteine in a sample may be determined colorimetrically, as before (see Example 1), by measuring the total hydrogen sulfide produced from homocysteinase, and at any suitable wavelength at which the precipitating colored lead salt can be detected, such as in the visible range, or also at or near, for example, 360 nm. Hydrogen sulfide may also be detected based on formation of other chromophoric metal salts, as is known in the art.
  • the homocysteine concentration in the original sample is determined by comparison of the total hydrogen sulfide produced (from cysteine and homocysteine) with the total pyruvate produced (from cysteine only). This procedure is also readily automated, and both detection wavelengths can be monitored simultaneously.
  • Genomic DNA from Trichomonas vaginalis was isolated by standard procedures (Wizard Minipreps, Promega, Madison, WT), and used as a template for a PCR reaction conducted according to the method provided with a PCR reagent kit (Roche, Branchburg, NJ). Oligonucleotide primers were developed based on the nucleotide sequence of the mgll gene (J.C. Mottram et al, Gene Bank, accession number AJ000486, NID g2330884, submitted July 17, 1997). The specific primers used were:
  • 5'-GGATTAGGATCCTTAGAGGACTAAGTCGAGAGCC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 14), which includes a GGATCC BamHI site.
  • Additional reagents used included restriction endonucleases, T4 DNA ligase, and BL21(DE3) competent cells, all purchased from Stratagene (San Diego, CA).
  • the GeneAmp PCR reagent kit was purchased from Roche (Branchburg, NJ), and the DNA purification kit was purchased from Promega (Madison, WI).
  • the oligonucleotide probes for PCR amplification were synthesized by IDT Inc. (Coralville, IA). All other reagents were purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, MO). Wild type Trichomonas vaginalis was purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, MD).
  • the PCR reaction conditions were as follows: 35 cycles of denaturation at 94°C for 1 minute; annealing at 50°C for 2 minutes; and extension at 72°C for 2 minutes. This was followed by a final extension step at 72°C for 10 minutes.
  • the PCR-amplified product (which appeared as one band of 1.2K bp identified by Kb-ladder markers) was collected, digested with the Ndel and BamHI restriction enzymes, and then ligated into the pT7-7 vector at the Ndel and BamHI cloning sites thereof, using standard protocols (the pT7-7 vector was provided by Dr. Stan Tabor, Harvard Medical School, Boston , MA, see Tabor, S.
  • ampicillin-resistance clones were selected from ampicillin-containing plates.
  • the cells from the selected colonies were grown in 5 ml LB medium (Fisher) at 37°C overnight.
  • Suitable clones were selected based on enzyme activity of crude culture extracts in the ⁇ -ketobutyrate assay (using a modification of the method of K. Soda et al., Methods in Enzymology, 143, 459-465, 1981 - based on reaction of methyl-2- benzothiazolinone hydrazone ), and/or a dethiomethylation assay in which H 2 S is produced and quantified (see A.E. Braunstein et al., Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 242, pp. 247-260, 1971), which are both recited directly below.
  • E. coli BL21 (DE3) pAC2-l clone was also constructed which differs only in that the included plasmid (expression vector pAC2-l 1, again based on pT7-7) contains two copies of the homocysteinase-encoding sequence, which are present in tandem.
  • This particular clone, designated E. coli BL21 (DE3) pAC2-l 1 provides high level expression of recombinant homocysteinase for use in the diagnosis procedures of the invention. Briefly the 2 copies of the encoding sequence were placed between the Ndel and Bspl06I sites of pT7-7.
  • the first copy was linked Ndel to BamHI, and the second was linked BamHI to BsplO ⁇ l.
  • Recombinant homocysteinase may be purified from either the pAC2-l or pAC2-l 1 clones by the same procedures.
  • the suspensions were then centrifuged using an Eppendorf centrifuge at 13k rpm for 2 minutes. 0.5 ml samples of the supernatants were then added to 0.5 ml of 0.05% 3-methyl-2- benzothiazolinone hydrazone ("MBTH") in 0.8 ml of 1M sodium acetate, pH 5.2 and incubated at 50°C for 30 min. The amount of reaction products was determined for each sample, by spectrophotometry at OD 320 . The amount of protein was determined with a Bio- Rad 500-0006 kit (Bio-Rad, Richmond, CA) with bovine serum albumin as a standard.
  • MBTH 3-methyl-2- benzothiazolinone hydrazone
  • the enzyme specific activity was calculated as units/mg protein, with one unit of enzyme defined as the amount that catalyzes the formation of l ⁇ mol of ⁇ -ketobutyrate from homocysteine per minute.
  • the assay procedure can, of course, also be used with purified homocysteinase samples that provide, for example, 1-100 units of enzyme per assay test.
  • the assay used was a modification of the method of A.E. Braunstein et al. above.
  • the standard reaction mixture consisted of potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5, lOOmM), lead acetate (0.33 mM), and sufficient crude cell extract to provide 1-100 units of homocysteinase, to which mixture different concentrations (5 ⁇ M-100 ⁇ M) of substrate DL-homocysteine, or L-cysteine or L-methionine were added, such that the total reaction volume was 1.5 ml.
  • the determination of lead sulfide was obtained on a spectrophotometer at OD 360 .
  • the assay procedure can also be used with purified homocysteinase samples, for example, those providing 1-100 units per assay test.
  • HYases homocysteinases
  • the bacteria were then spun down at 4000g permitting replacement of the growth medium with fresh LB, and the incubation was continued for a further 6 hours, again at 37°C and 300 rpm. When the OD 600 reached 20, the bacteria were harvested by centrifugation for 10 minutes at 4000g, 4°C . It will be recognized that a wide variety of variations on the above procedure are also effective.
  • the bacterial pellet was first suspended in extraction solution (20mM potassium phosphate, 10 ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate and 0.01 %> ⁇ -mercaptoethanol, pH 9.0), and the cells were then disrupted with a cavitator-type homogenizer (model HC 8000, Microfluidics Corporation, Newton, MA). The suspension was centrifuged with a refrigerated centrifuge (Sorvall, superspeed RC2-B) at 8000g, 4°C for 30 minutes.
  • the supernatant was then collected, heated at 50°C for 1 minute, and then subject to ultrafiltration using a preparative scale device (model TFF PLHK 100k, Millipore, Bedford, MA) using a 2.5ft 2 pressure cartridge containing lOmM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 8.3).
  • the pH was adjusted to 7.2 during the ultrafiltration.
  • the above-derived concentrate (at pH 7.2) was applied to a first column (100 mm diameter x 30 cm) containing a 2400 ml packed volume of DEAE Sepharose® FF (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) in 40 mM KC1-PPM buffer (40 mM potassium chloride; and lOmM potassium phosphate, lO ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate, 0.01% ⁇ -mercaptoethanol, pH 7.2).
  • the column was pre-washed with about 10 volumes of 40 mM KC1-PPM buffer until the OD 280 dropped below 0.1.
  • the protein was then eluted with a linear gradient of 40-300 mM KC1 in PPM buffer, and 500 ml fractions were collected. The fractions containing homocysteinase were identified by their yellow color, and an activity assay.
  • the recovered eluate (about 2-5 mg/ml representing a recovery of 5-10 total grams protein) was applied to a second column.
  • the second column (Pharmacia XK 50/30 filled with DEAE Sepharose® FF - 500 ml volume, 50mm diameter x 25 cm) was pre-washed with 4 volumes of 80 mM KC1, 10 mM potassium phosphate, pH 8.3 (at a flow rate of about 6-8 ml/minute) until the OD 280 dropped below 0.1.
  • the homocysteinase was then eluted with a linear gradient of 80 to 300 mM potassium chloride in 10 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 8.3). Eluate was collected in 300 ml fractions, and active fractions were identifiable by yellow color and homocysteinase enzyme activity. Enzyme activity results (toward homocysteine, cysteine, and methionine) for homocysteinase purified in this manner are discussed in Example 8 below (see also Figure 3).
  • an additional two stage strategy may be used.
  • the partitioning material was DEAE Sepharose® FF, and loading and pre-washing were conducted with 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2. Elution of the protein was accomplished using a linear gradient (8 ml min) from 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2 (solution A) to 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, 500 mM NaCl (solution B).
  • the partitioning material was phenyl Sepharose® 6-FF, and loading and pre- washing were conducted with 0.6 M NH 4 SO 4 in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2.
  • an L-6200A Intelligent pump (Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) with a Supelco ProgelTM TSK column (G3000 SW XL , 30 cm x 7.8 mm, Supelco, Bellefonte, PA) was used.
  • samples of a 20 ⁇ l size (containing about 0.1 to 0.5 mg/ml protein were loaded, and eluted with a solution of 0.12 M NaCl, lOmM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, at a flow rate of about lml/min.
  • the protein containing fractions were identified with a spectrophotometer (Hitachi U2000) at a wavelength of 280 nm.
  • Bovine serum albumin (MW 66,000) and ⁇ -amylase from sweet potato (MW 200,000) (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) were used as MW standards. Resultant retetion times were: for BSA, 8.88 min; for ⁇ -amylase, 7.82 min; and, for the product homocysteinase, 8.28 minutes. Electrophoresis of resultant proteins was carried out on (non-reducing) 7.5% or 10%> polyacrylamide-precasted plates in 0.2 M Tris-glycine buffer, pH 8.3, with and without 0.1%> SDS. The molecular weight standards used were the Kaleidoscope Prestained Standards (Bio-Rad, Richmond, CA). The product homocysteinase resolved as a single band of about 43 kD in the presence of 0.1 % SDS, and as a single band at about 172 kD absent 0.1% SDS.
  • DNA sequencing of suitable clones was then performed by ACGT Inc. (Northbrook, IL) using T7 DNA polymerase and the dideoxy nucleotide termination reaction.
  • the primer walking method was used, and the sequences were analyzed on a DNA analyzer.
  • Ni-NTA resin beads were then washed with 8 ml of wash buffer (300mM NaCl, 20 mM imidazole, 50mM NaH 2 PO 4 , pH 8.0), after which the recombinant protein was finally collected by elution using 2 ml of elution buffer (300mM NaCl, 250 mM imidazole, 50mM NaH 2 PO 4 , pH 8.0).
  • wash buffer 300mM NaCl, 20 mM imidazole, 50mM NaH 2 PO 4 , pH 8.0
  • 2 ml of elution buffer 300mM NaCl, 250 mM imidazole, 50mM NaH 2 PO 4 , pH 8.0.
  • the purified protein was then characterized as above. Enzyme activity results (toward homocysteine, cysteine, and methionine) for homocysteinase purified in this fashion are described in Example 8 below (see also Figure 4).
  • Figures 2 through 4 evidence the significantly enhanced usefulness of the homocysteinases of the invention for single step assays.
  • the results depicted in Figure 2 reflect use of a crude lysate of the host E. coli cells containing the pAC2-l clone, and show specific activity (u/mg) with respect to the 3 substrates (homocysteine, methionine, and cysteine) when each is present in a separate assay at 25mM.
  • the results depicted in Figures 3 and 4 reflect relative activity of purified enzyme preparations for homocysteine, methionine, and cysteine..
  • Example 7 For the assays shown in Figure 3, the enzyme was purified using a DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow procedure as described in Example 7; for Figure 4, the purification procedure of Example 7 involving nickel-NTA agarose affinity reagent, was used (see above under the heading "The ⁇ -ketobutyrate assay/pyruvate assay" for methodology).
  • the novel homocysteinases of the invention exhibit activities toward homocysteine (using the assays of the invention, see for example, Example 1) that are typically 100-fold, and even up to about 1000-fold, higher than their activities exhibited toward cysteine or methionine.
  • the concentration of homocysteine in a biological sample such as, for example, whole blood, blood plasma, serum, urine, or tissue fluid may be determined with sufficient accuracy to provide valuable diagnostic information to physicians, absent interference from contaminating concentrations of cysteine and/or methionine.
  • diagnostic assays are rapid, accurate, involve a minimum of reagents, and are therefore applicable to large scale screenings operations in clinical laboratories, and as public health measures.
  • the concentration of cysteine in normal blood plasma may be about 30-120 ⁇ M (micromolar), and that of homocysteine only about 5-15 ⁇ M.
  • a subject's risk for cardiovascular disease may increase significantly as homocysteine concentrations in the blood plasma rise above the 15 ⁇ M level.
  • High risk cardiovascular patients have been identified that have homocysteine levels up to several hundred micromolar.
  • patients affected by disorders of cysteine metabolism may have cysteine levels up to 500 or even 1000 ⁇ M.
  • the diagnostic kits of the present invention are useful to determine homocysteine concentrations in biological fluids in the range of 1-500 ⁇ molar, for example, wherein said fluids also contain from 0 ⁇ molar (typically from 10 ⁇ molar) to about 1000 ⁇ molar of cysteine, or higher.
  • homocysteineases are provided wherein the relative activities of said enzymes toward homocysteine versus cysteine are such that, by detecting product hydrogen sulfide, the apparent concentration of homocysteine measured in a patient sample (which reflects also a contribution from cysteine) is less that about 150%, preferably less than about 110%, and most preferably less than about 102%, of the actual value thereof.
  • the apparent concentration of homocysteine measured in a single enzyme assay reflects no more than about a 1% false contribution from cysteine.
  • such single enzyme assay methodology (using for example, SEQ ID NO: 10 as homocysteinase) is applicable over a wide range of natural concentrations (and ratios of concentrations) of both homocysteine and cysteine (and also methionine where appropriate), and is thus accurately able to reflect the body fluid chemistry of both healthy subjects and those at risk for disease states, most particulary cardiovascular disease.
  • the present invention provides a diagnostic kit for use in the single enzyme assay of the homocysteine concentration in a biological fluid of a subject, said kit comprising:
  • the fraction of measured hydrogen sulfide that is attributed to cysteine instead of homocysteine should be sufficiently small to prevent useful interpretation of the results by a qualified medicinal practitioner.
  • useful diagnostic information can be obtained when the amount of produced hydrogen sulfide attributable to homocysteine is about one half of the total. Given the generally higher concentration of cysteine in patient samples, compared to homocysteine, the specificity of such enzymes is still evident.
  • the fraction of total hydrogen sulfide detected in an assay that is attributable to homocysteine is at least 90%, preferably 95%, more preferably 98%, and most preferably 99% or greater. The 99% level is readily obtained according to the practice of the invention, for example using the homocysteinase represented by SEQ ID NO: 10.
  • cysteine contributes less than about 1% to the total amount of hydrogen sulfide detected.
  • Homocysteinase isolated from Trichomonas vaginalis (which may reflect expression from more than one gene) was reported (see Lockwood et al., 1991 above) to have a ⁇ L ⁇ for homocysteine of about 0.5 mM, whereas K,, values determined for the novel enzyme expressed from the pAC2-l clone are (all at 37°C, pH 8.0): 4.8 mM, 3.45 mM, and 3.1 mM for homocysteine, cysteine, and methionine, respectively.
  • the K calculations were determined from assays carried out in one ml volumes of lOOmM phosphate buffer, pH 8.0 containing lO ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate at different concentrations (lO ⁇ M to 1.6 mM) of, separately, DL-homocysteine, L-methionine, or L- cysteine, for 10 minutes at 37° C, pH 8.0 using 50 ⁇ l of enzyme (300 units/ml). The reaction was stopped by adding 0.1 ml of 50%> TCA. The resultant suspension was then centrifuged with an Eppendorf centrifuge at 13k rpm for 2 minutes.
  • the enyzme ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase (EC 6.3.2.2, also referred to as glutamate- cysteine ligase) is another enyzme that may be used to enhance accuracy of assays for homocysteine in biological samples.
  • the enzyme catalyzes the first (and rate-limiting) step in the synthesis of glutathione ( ⁇ -L glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine), a tripeptide having numerous important functions in living cells. Given the important roles that glutathione plays in metabolic pathways, it is believed highly unlikely that ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase would accept homocysteine as a replacement for substrate cysteine.
  • this enzyme contributes to highly specific determinations of homocysteine in biological samples (via a homocysteinase), by removing any interfering cysteine.
  • the assay is conducted using the direct enzymatic substraction method (see Example 3 above). part A - expression of encoding DNA for E. coli ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase
  • a principal achievement of the invention is highly sensitive enzyme-based assay methodology that provides for accurate determinations of homocysteine concentrations in biological samples.
  • a particularly preferred enzyme-based assay for homocysteine involves use of two enzymes, (1) a homocysteinase having high specificity for homocysteine and very low specificity for cysteine (such as the Trichomonas vaginalis enzyme expressed from pAC2-l, SEQ ID NO: 10), and (2) ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase such as from clone GSH-I His (see below) use of which further eliminates interference from cysteine.
  • the ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase enzyme utilized can be provided from a wide variety of sources, such as hog liver, wheat germ, bovine lens, rat liver, or bacteria including Proteus mirabilis or E coli.
  • sources such as hog liver, wheat germ, bovine lens, rat liver, or bacteria including Proteus mirabilis or E coli.
  • the ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase enzyme may be purified from such sources by recognized methods, or expressed recombinantly, for example, from host prokaryotic cells such as E. coli, or eukaryotic cells generally recognized as useful in this regard.
  • Suitable E. coli strains include E.coli BL21 (DE3), HB 101, and JM 109.
  • nucleotide sequences for primers GSH-1 through GSH-4 were as follows (the nucleotide numbers are assigned to correspond with those used by K. Watanabe et al. at p. 4396, based on an isolated 2098 bp HincII-PstI restriction fragment reported therein that contained the open reading frame):
  • GSH-1 sense strand
  • 5'-ATCGCTAG [CAT ATG 1 ]
  • ATC CCG GAC GTA TCA CAG-3' which includes encoding nucleotides No. 338-358 (K. Watanabe et al.), wherein [CAT ATG 1 ] encodes the Met 1 and provides an Ndel site (SEQ ID NO: 15);
  • GSH-2 antisense strand
  • 5'- ATCACCATCC ACTGGTGTAA TG -3' corresponding to nucleotides No. 541-562 (SEQ ID NO:16);
  • GSH-3 sense strand
  • 5'- CTA CCG ATT TTG CGG AAG -3' corresponding to encoding nucleotides No. 510-527 (SEQ ID NO: 17);
  • GSH-4 antisense strand
  • 5'- CATGACGGAT CCTCAGGCGT GTTTTTCCAG -3' corresponding to nucleotides No. 1877-1894 (1894 is the stop codon), with 12 additional nucleotides attached (SEQ ID NO: 18).
  • the small fragment was digested with Ndel and EcoRI, and the large fragment was digested with EcoRI and BamHI. Both fragments were then used in a 3-way ligation with Ndel/BamHI predigested pT7-7 plasmid which includes Nde I and BamHI sites, to yield the plasmids pGSH-I and pGSH-I-HIS (which differ only in the encoding sequence for the N' end histidine tag). Correct cloning was comfirmed by RE analysis. The plasmids were then transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells and protein minipreps were prepared to confirm the expression of the recombinant protein.
  • part B - assay methodology using ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase and Zn(OH) ? trapping According to the practice of the invention, following use of ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase to deplete cysteine from a biological sample, determination of the homocysteine concentration therein may then be accomplished by any of several procedures, preferably those involving use of a homocysteinase, with detection of one or more resulting reaction products.
  • a further example of an effective assay procedure involves colorimetric detection of methylene blue which is itself produced, in situ, in a reaction that efficiently consumes the hydrogen sulfide produced in the homocysteinase reaction.
  • This procedure takes advantage of the efficient detection of the dye molecule methylene blue (methyl thionine chloride) in the visible range, such as at 740 nm.
  • methylene blue is produced by oxidation of N,N- dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine ("NDPD”) with ferric chloride in the presence of hydrogen sulfide.
  • N,N- diethyl-p-phenylenediamine is substituted for N,N- dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine, with the result that chromophoric detection is enhanced, by up to about 5-fold.
  • other sources of ferric iron are suitable.
  • Procedures demonstrating the method were performed as follows. A sample of human serum was diluted (1:1) with phosphate buffered saline, and then deproteinized by ultrafilitration using an Amicon 30k Centriprep, with centrifugation at 4,000 rpm for 60 minutes at 4°C. The deproteinized and diluted serum was then collected and divided into 1ml aliquots in Eppendorf tubes for use in the assays. In the below-described procedures, free homocysteine was determined.
  • That fraction of total serum homocysteine that is present as a disulfide dimer (homocystine or cysteine/homocysteine heterodimer), or is found disulfide- bonded to protein, may also be determined by including a reducing step (for example, addition of 5mM ⁇ -mercaptoethanol) at an appropriate point in the protocol.
  • a reducing step for example, addition of 5mM ⁇ -mercaptoethanol
  • reducing agent a specialized compound capable of reducing the disulfide bond of homocystine, for example, without inactivating ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase or homocysteinase.
  • an incubation mixture (1 ml) was prepared to contain 10 mM in L-glutamate, 2mM ATP, 25 mM MgCl 2 , buffered with Tris-Cl, 100 mM at pH. 8.0, and included 5 ⁇ g recombinant ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase from clone GSH-I His, and a sufficient amount of the biological sample to deliver, for example, about 50 ⁇ moles of homocysteine.
  • homocysteine/cysteine-containing sample (about 50 ⁇ l), or other amount as appropriate;
  • the contents are incubated at 25 °C for 30 minutes, after which 10 ⁇ l of homocysteinase enzyme (4.5 mg/ml of Trichomonas vaginalis enzyme, SEQ ID NO: 10, from clone pAC2-l) is added, the vial sealed, followed by a further incubation at 37°C for 20 minutes.
  • Production of H 2 S is stopped by addition of 100 ⁇ l of 1M NaOH, with mixing, followed by 300 ⁇ l of solution A, with mixing, after which the tube is spun at 13,000 rpm for 45 seconds as above.
  • the pellet is resuspended in 150 ⁇ l solution B, followed by addition of 750 ⁇ l of solution C and a further 20 minute incubation period at room temperature. Methlyene blue production is monitored within the visible range, most preferably from about 650 to 750 nm.
  • homocysteine As previously mentioned (see Example 4), a significant fraction of homocysteine that is present in biological samples may be bonded to other biological molecules, and such "stored" forms of homocysteine are believed to contribute to pathological processes. Thus, in determining homocysteine concentrations, it is desireable to include these other forms.
  • Major contributors to the total homocysteine concentration include (1) homocysteine dimers, (2) homocysteine/cysteine heterodimers, and (3) conjugates of homocysteine and protein wherein homocystiene is attached by way of a disulfide bond to protein cysteine.
  • the total of such additional homocysteine concentrations may be accurately determined by appropriate use of a disulfide bond reducing agent.
  • disulfide reducing agents are particularly suitable for this function since they also present the capacity to reduce disulfide bonds in homocysteinases or ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetases, participate in thiol exchange reactions, or react directly with enzyme thiol groups, thereby altering the activity of the enzymes.
  • One such less preferred agent is ⁇ -mercaptoethanol.
  • a disulfide reducing agent that is potentially useful in the practice of the invention is tris-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine ("TCEP"), available from Molecular Probes Inc., Eugene ,OR which may be prepared fresh as a lOOrnM stock solution (for use at 10 ⁇ l/lml tube sample) and which may be preferably dispensed into the vial just prior to addition of the homocysteine-containing biological sample itself. Additional suitable reducing agents will be recognized by those familiar with the art. In fact, DTT has been found to be the most preferred reducing agent, and causes minimal effects on assay enzymes.
  • This aspect of the invention is represented by a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine, which method comprises measuring the concentration of a product that is produced from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, which product may also be produced by reaction of said homocysteinase upon cysteine in said sample, and wherein said sample contains an otherwise interfering concentration of cysteine, said method comprising the steps of:
  • step (b) incubating the mixture resultant from step (a) with homocysteinase
  • step (c) measuring the concentration of a product that is capable of being produced from both homocysteine and cysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, wherein said step of making disulfide bonded homocysteine molecules available for reaction with homocysteinase is performed by treating said sample with tris-(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine at a point prior to step (a) thereof.
  • the ammonia product of the homocysteinase reaction may also be used to quantify homocysteine in biological samples.
  • interference by methionine is possible if ammonia is being detected.
  • correction may be accomplished generally by recognizing that methionine can also be detected by release of methanethiol during the homocysteinase reaction itself. Thus, its concentration may be measured and then substracted.
  • the resultant methanethiol can be determined by production of methylene blue (including variants thereof) by measuring OD at about 510 nm, using as reactant N,N- dimethyl [or diethyl]-p- phenylenediamine. See Tanaka et al., Journal of Applied Biochemistry, 2, pp. 439-444, 1980. Ammonia, as is recognized in the art, may also be measured in assays that involve glutamate dehydrogenase, and such procedures may be adapted to the practice of the present invention.
  • buffer solution a stock solution of 50 mM borate buffer, pH 7.5, prepared from 309 mg H 3 BO 3 , f.w.61.83, added to 90 ml dd water, the pH is adjusted to 7.5 with NaOH, after which the volume is brought up to a total of 100 ml with dd water.
  • chromogenic reagent I 33.25 mg of potassium ferricyanate, K 3 Fe(CN) 5 , Sigma, is dissolved in a solution of 10 ml of IN HCl, 1% (w/v) Triton X-100, Sigma, creating a 10 mM stock solution of ferric iron. This solution should be mixed well before use.
  • chromogenic reagent II - 52.5 mg of N,N-dipropyl-phenylene diamine ("DPPDA"), Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., Japan, is dissolved in dd water up to a final concentration of lOOmM.
  • DPPDA N,N-dipropyl-phenylene diamine
  • recombinant homocysteinase - the enzyme represented by SEQ ID NO: 10 may be purchased as product HYaseTM from AntiCancer, Inc, San Diego, CA and has a molecular weight of 172,000 and a specific activity of 40 units/mg. The enzyme should be diluted to 4 units/ml with borate buffer before use, stored during assays at 0-4°C, and prepared fresh for each use.
  • a representative assay protocol is as follows. O.l ml of blood plasma is added to 0.9 ml of borate buffer. 10 ⁇ l of the 100 mM DTT solution is then added, mixed well, followed by an incubation at 37°C for 30 minutes. 30 ⁇ l of HYaseTM recombinant homocysteinase (prediluted to 4 units/ml in borate buffer) is then added with mixing, followed by a further incubation period at 37°C for 1 minute. 200 ⁇ l of chromogenic reagent I and 10 ⁇ l of chromogenic reagent II are then added simultaneously with mixing and the sample is incubated at 37°C for 20 minutes.
  • the product methylene blue-type chromophore is then detected by measuring the OD at 677 nm in a spectrophotometer.
  • the plasma concentration of L-homocysteine is then determined from a constructed calibration curve, which may use homocysteine and/or the disulfide bonded dimer thereof, homocystine, as standards.
  • Each fermentation run was started with one vial of recombinant E. coli containing recombinant homocysteinase (pAC2-l, see SEQ ID NOS: 9 and 10) from the master cell bank (MCB).
  • MCB master cell bank
  • Ten microliters of bacteria from the MCB were seeded into 5 ml LB medium and grown overnight at 37°C with shaking at 400 rpm .
  • the culture was transferred to 800 ml LB medium in 6 L flasks and grown overnight at 37°C at 400 rpm at which time the OD 600 was approximately 10.
  • the bacteria were collected by centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 20 min.
  • the bacteria were then transferred into 800-ml LB-medium cultures in 6 L flasks and grown at 37°C at 400 rpm for 16 h.
  • the bacteria were harvested by centrifugation at 4000 rpm at 4°C for 20 minutes.
  • the bacterial pellets derived from 90x 800-ml cultures of recombinant E. coli, were combined and disrupted with a cavitation type homogenizer (Micro fluidics Corp., Newton, MA; model HC 8000).
  • the homogenate was suspended in 2 vol. of 20 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.2 containing 10 ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate, 0.01% ⁇ -mercaptoethanol and 20% ethanol. Heat treatment of the homogenate was carried out at 50°C for 1 minute. 1% (w/v) polyethyleneimine (PEI) was added to the suspension solution and mixed for 20 minutes.
  • PEI polyethyleneimine
  • the suspension was centrifuged with an automatic refrigerated centrifuge (Sorvall, Superspeed RC 2-B) at 4°C at 12,000 rpm for 40 minutes to remove nucleic acids.
  • the supernatant was then collected and mixed with polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG 8000) to a final concentration of 10-12% (w/v) and stirred at 4°C for 60 minutes.
  • the precipitate (containing contaminating proteins) was removed by centrifugation at 12,000 rpm for 40 minutes. 3.0 M sodium chloride was then added to the supernatant to give a final concentration of 0.12 M which precipitated recombinant homocysteinase.
  • the pellet was collected by centrifugation at 12,000 rpm for 40 minutes and dissolved in 20 mM potassium phosphate buffer pH 7.6, containing 10 ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate and 0.01% ⁇ - mercaptoethanol.
  • the enzyme sample from the precolumn treatment was applied to a column of DEAE- Sepharose FF (30 x 5 cm) (Pharmacia) that was previously equilibrated with 20 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.2. After loading the column, it was prewashed with 50 mM sodium chloride, 20 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.2 for approximately 3 volumes, until the OD 280 dropped below 0.1. Recombinant homocysteinase was then eluted with a linear sodium chloride concentration gradient of 0.05-0.5 M in the same buffer over 90 minutes.
  • Bound protein was eluted by linearly decreasing the ammonium sulfate gradient with Buffer B (which contained 20 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.6, 10 ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate, 0.02%) ⁇ -mercaptoethanol, and 5.0%) ethylene glycol).
  • Buffer B which contained 20 mM potassium phosphate pH 7.6, 10 ⁇ M pyridoxal phosphate, 0.02%
  • ⁇ -mercaptoethanol 5.07% ethylene glycol
  • the active fractions were concentrated by DEAE-Sepharose FF (20 x 1.6 cm) which removed ammonium sulfate and polyethylene glycol. Purified enzyme was stored at -80°C.
  • 0.05 ml of the resultant solution was then combined with 0.45 ml of 0.05% 3-methyl-2-benzothiazothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH) and added to a 1.0 ml sample of 1.0 M sodium acetate, pH 5.2, followed by incubation at 50°C for 30 minutes.
  • the amount of reaction product was determined by spectrophotometry at OD 335 .
  • the hydrazone product has an extinction coefficient of 7.6 x 10 3 1/mol x cm..
  • the amount of protein was determined with the Lowry Reagent Kit (Sigma) with bovine serum albumin as a standard. The specific activity was calculated as units/ mg protein, with one unit of enzyme defined as the amount that catalyzed the formation of 1 ⁇ mol of ⁇ -ketobutyrate/minute.
  • Electrophoresis was performed according to the methods described in the NOVEX Kit (NOVEX Experimental Technology, San Diego). A 12% Tris-Gel was used for SDS-PAGE. After staining with Coomassie brilliant blue, the intensity of protein bands was estimated with molecular standards (NOVEX mark 12 Wide Range Protein Standard), including myosin, 200 kD; ⁇ -galactosidase, 116.3 kD; phosphorylase b, 97.4 kD; bovine serum albumin, 66.3 kD; carbonic anhydrase, 31.0 kD; trypsin inhibitor, 21.5 kD; lysozyme, 14.4 kD; aprotinin, 6.0 kD.
  • molecular standards NOVEX mark 12 Wide Range Protein Standard
  • Native gels were stained for recombinant homocysteinase activity by immersion in a reaction mixture containing 3.3 mM-DL-homocysteine, 0.33 mM lead acetate, 28.4 mM ⁇ -mercaptoethanol, and 100 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.5. Bands containing homocysteinase activity will convert homocysteine to ⁇ -ketobutyrate, ammonia and H 2 S. Hydrogen sulfide reacts with lead acetate to form a dark brown precipitate (Pb 2 S). The gels were then stained for protein with Coomassie Blue.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine that comprises contacting said sample with an enzyme preparation capable of producing hydrogen sulfide from homocysteine and cysteine, and determining the amount of homocysteine in said sample by measuring the amount of hydrogen sulfide produced from homocysteine.
  • a method according to statement 2 wherein said biological sample comprises homocysteine molecules that are disulfide-bonded to protein cysteine residues, free cysteine molecules, or to other homocysteine molecules.
  • a method according to statement 7 that includes the steps of:
  • a method according to statement 1 wherein said biological fluid is selected from the group consisting of urine, tissue fluid, blood, blood serum, and blood plasma.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine comprising the steps of
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine present in a biological sample comprising the step of contacting said sample with an enzyme preparation capable of catalyzing production from homocysteine of a detectable quantity of hydrogen sulfide, and wherein said sample further comprises an amount of cysteine from which a detectable quantity of hydrogen sulfide can be produced that interferes with said determination, the improvement comprising including one or more additional steps that permit the separate detection of hydrogen sulfide derived from homocysteine.
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a diagnostic kit according to statement 19 that includes a further reagent useful to dissociate homocysteine from other molecules to which it may be covalently bonded.
  • a diagnostic kit according to statement 19 that includes a further reagent useful to convert homocysteine to a form non reactive with said homocysteinase.
  • a diagnostic kit according to statement 19 that includes a further reagent useful to isolate homocysteine from said biological sample prior to reacting said homocysteine with homocysteinase.
  • a diagnostic kit according to statement 19 that includes a further reagent useful to convert cysteine to a form non-reactive with said homocysteinase.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine that comprises:
  • a method according to statement 24 wherein said enzyme preparation by which pyruvate in said sample can be determined comprises lactate dehydrogenase.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine comprising the steps of
  • (c) is a chimeric enzyme produced by expression of a chimeric encoding polynucleotide that includes nucleotide sequence derived from both Pseudomonas putida and Trichomonas vaginalis .
  • (c) is a chimeric enzyme produced by expression of a chimeric encoding polynucleotide that includes nucleotide sequence derived from both Pseudomonas putida and Trichomonas vaginalis .
  • a method according to statement 24 wherein said biological fluid is selected from the group consisting of urine, tissue fluid, blood, blood serum, and blood plasma.
  • said biological fluid is selected from the group consisting of urine, tissue fluid, blood, blood serum, and blood plasma.
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a purified and isolated DNA molecule comprising a chimeric nucleotide sequence that encodes amino acid sequence of Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase and amino acid sequence of Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase, from which can be expressed a functional protein having homocysteinase activity.
  • a DNA molecule according to statement 35 that comprises an encoding nucleotide sequence for Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase, wherein one or more subsequences thereof that encode one or more amino acids of said enzyme are correspondingly replaced by one or more nucleotide subsequences that encode the corresponding amino acids of a Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase.
  • Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase is that encoded by the mgll gene or the mgll gene.
  • a DNA molecule according to statement 38 that comprises an encoding sequence for Pseudomonas putida homocysteinase, wherein one or more subsequences thereof, that each encode one or more amino acids of said enzyme, are correspondingly replaced by one or more nucleotide subsequences than each encode the one or more corresponding amino acids of said Trichomonas vaginalis homocysteinase, and wherein said resultant amino acid replacements are selected from the group consisting of:
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a method for determining the concentration of homocysteine in a biological fluid of a patient that comprises use of a diagnostic kit according to statement 33, under conditions where the determination of hydrogen sulfide and of pyruvate in said sample that permit determination of said homocysteine concentration therein are both accomplished in a single cuvette.
  • a homocysteinase enzyme that is sufficiently non reactive toward cysteine or methionine that the concentration of homocysteine that is present in a sample of tissue fluid, urine, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma of a subject may be determined in a single enzyme assay wherein is measured one or more products resulting from reaction of said homocysteinease on homocysteine in said sample, and wherein said measurement is substantially unaffected by the concentration of cysteine or methionine therein.
  • a homocysteinase enzyme according to statement 45 patterned substantially on the amino acid sequence of a homocysteinase of Trichomonas vaginalis.
  • a homocysteinase according to statement 46 that is patterned on Trichomonas vaginalis enzyme encoded by the mgl2 gene.
  • a homocysteinase according to statement 46 having the amino acid sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 10, or to residues Met 1 through Leu 396 thereof.
  • a homocysteinase according to statement 45 derived from Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Aeromonas or Trichomonas wherein one or more peptide sequences thereof are correspondingly replaced by one or more peptide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 10 that are selected from the group consisting of:
  • a homocysteinase that is a substitution variant, addition variant, deletion variant, or derivative of SEQ ID NO: 10, or of residues Met 1 through Leu 396 thereof, wherein said variant or derivative has one or both of the following properties:
  • a homocysteinase enzyme according to statement 45 that is:
  • a homocysteinase according to statement 45 having a specific activity for homocysteine that is at least about 100-fold greater than for cysteine and methionine.
  • a purified and isolated DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a homocysteinase according to statement 45 wherein said coding sequence is operably linked to control sequences capable of directing expression therefrom in a host cell.
  • a host cell that contains a DNA molecule according to statement 57 A host cell that contains a DNA molecule according to statement 57.
  • a purified and isolated DNA molecule according to statement 57 comprising a nucleotide sequence that codes for a homocysteinase according to SEQ ID NO: 10, or for residues Met 1 through Leu 396 thereof.
  • a DNA molecule according to statement 59 that comprises a nucleotide sequence that is SEQ ID NO:9 or the nucleotide 39-1226 fragment of SEQ ID NO:9, or a complement thereof.
  • RNA molecule that corresponds to SEQ ID NO:9, or a homocysteinase encoding fragment thereof.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine comprises measuring the concentration of a product that is produced from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, which product may also be produced by reaction of said enzyme upon cysteine in said sample, and wherein said sample contains an otherwise interfering concentration of cysteine, said method including the step of providing said enzyme in a form that is sufficiently non-reactive toward cysteine that the concentration of homocysteine in said sample may be determined in a single enzyme assay.
  • a method according to statement 62 wherein said biological sample is tissue fluid, urine, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma from a human subject.
  • said biological sample comprises homocysteine molecules that are bonded to amino acid R groups in protein, and said method further comprises the step of first making said bonded homocysteine molecules available for detection therein.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and methionine comprises measuring the concentration of a product that is produced from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, which product may also be produced by reaction of said enzyme upon methionine in said sample, and wherein said sample contains an otherwise interfering concentration of methionine, said method including the step of providing said enzyme in a form that is sufficiently non-reactive toward methionine that the concentration of homocysteine in said sample may be determined in a single enzyme assay.
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a modified homocysteinase enzyme that comprises one or more histidine residues positioned on the N-terminal side of the normal Met 1 of said protein, said enzyme being sufficiently non reactive toward cysteine or methionine that the concentration of homocysteine that is present in a sample of tissue fluid, urine, blood, blood serum, or blood plasma of a subject may be determined in a single enzyme assay wherein is measured one or more products resulting from reaction of said modified homocysteinease on homocysteine in said sample, and wherein said measurement is substantially unaffected by the concentration of cysteine or methionine therein.
  • a modified homocysteinase according to statement 70 that comprises about 6 histidine residues positioned on the N-terminal side of the normal Met 1 of said protein.
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine comprises measuring the concentration of a product that is produced from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, which product may also be produced by reaction of said homocysteinase upon cysteine in said sample, and wherein said sample contains an otherwise interfering concentration of cysteine, said method comprising the steps of:
  • step (b) incubating the mixture resultant from step (a) with homocysteinase
  • homocysteinase is from Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Aeromonas or Trichomonas.
  • said biological sample comprises homocysteine molecules that are disulfide-bonded to protein cysteine residues, free cysteine molecules, or to other homocysteine molecules, and said method further comprises the step of first making said bonded homocysteine molecules available for reaction with homocysteinase.
  • N,N-dialkyl-p-phenylenediamine is N,N-dimethyl, N,N-diethyl, N,N-di-n-propyl, or N,N-di-n-butyl.
  • a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amount of homocysteine in a biological sample comprising:
  • a method for determining the amount of homocysteine that is present in a biological sample containing homocysteine and cysteine comprises measuring the concentration of a product compound that is produced from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by a homocysteinase, which product compound may also be produced by reaction of said homocysteinase upon cysteine in said sample, and wherein said sample contains an otherwise interfering concentration of cysteine, said method comprising the steps of:
  • step (b) incubating the mixture resultant from step (a) with homocysteinase in order to generate one or more product compounds; and (c) determining the amount of homocysteine in said sample by measuring the concentration of said product compound.
  • step (a) thereof is ⁇ -glutamylcysteine synthetase, cysteine oxidase, cystathionine beta-synthetase, or cysteine tRNA synthetase.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne de nouveaux procédés faisant effet à des homocystéinases particulières qui permettent de déterminer les concentrations d'homocystéine dans des échantillons biologiques sans qu'il y ait des interférences dues à la cystéine et/ou à la méthionine ordinairement présentes dans ces échantillons. L'invention concerne également un kit de diagnostic, utilisé pour déterminer la quantité d'homocystéine dans un échantillon biologique et comprenant: (a) une homocystéinase possédant les caractéristiques susmentionnées; (b) au moins un réactif pouvant être utilisé pour déterminer la quantité de produit formé lors de la réaction de l'homocystéinase. Dans un autre aspect, l'homocystéinase se présente comme une molécule chimère qui comprend des sous-séquences d'acides aminés dérivées de plusieurs homocystéinases ou construites sur leur modèle; en règle générale, cette molécule est produite à partir d'un polynucléotide chimère codant pour les homocystéinases. D'autres améliorations apportées aux méthodes de dosage d'homocystéine comprennent l'utilisation de la η-glutamylcystéine synthétase pour limiter encore davantage toute interférence due à la présence de cystéine dans les échantillons biologiques.
PCT/US1998/015430 1997-07-24 1998-07-24 Dosages d'homocysteine a specificite elevee, destines aux echantillons biologiques WO1999005311A1 (fr)

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JP51014699A JP3337693B2 (ja) 1997-07-24 1998-07-24 生物学的サンプルの高特異性ホモシステインアッセイ
AU85127/98A AU758729B2 (en) 1997-07-24 1998-07-24 High specificity homocysteine assays for biological samples
DE69841433T DE69841433D1 (de) 1997-07-24 1998-07-24 Test mit hoher spezifizitaet gegen homocystein in biologische proben
HK00107283.1A HK1028263A1 (en) 1997-07-24 2000-11-16 High specificity homocysteine assays for biological samples

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US08/974,609 US6140102A (en) 1997-07-24 1997-11-19 High specificity homocysteinases and genes therefor
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US6527378B2 (en) * 2001-04-20 2003-03-04 Hewlett-Packard Company Thermal ink jet defect tolerant resistor design
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US5985540A (en) 1999-11-16
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US5998191A (en) 1999-12-07
AU758729B2 (en) 2003-03-27
JP2002272496A (ja) 2002-09-24
EP1000170B1 (fr) 2010-01-06
CA2296734C (fr) 2014-03-25
EP1000170A1 (fr) 2000-05-17
CA2296734A1 (fr) 1999-02-04
JP3337693B2 (ja) 2002-10-21
AU8512798A (en) 1999-02-16
CN1268978A (zh) 2000-10-04
CN100404688C (zh) 2008-07-23

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